Mumbai, Oct 28 (IANS): Actress Divya Dutta wanted to be like Amitabh bachchan as a child.

"Ever since I can remember, I would dance on 'Khaike paan Banaras wala'! I would dance on all the Amitabh Bachchan dance numbers and entertain everyone around me. My mother was a doctor. Whenever she brought over friends home, I would go to them and say 'I want to show you a dance', and become the centre of attraction. The aunties would clap, laugh and give me gulab jamun! I would dress like Mr Bachchan, wrap mumma's dupatta around my head like Mr Bachchan did in many films," Divya recalled, speaking to IANS.

"I think I used to like the reactions I would get from everyone as child. I wanted to be like Mr Bachchan! In my class I was the most popular child. As mumma is a Doctor, and education was always the most important thing in our childhood. I managed both, happily. I represented India in Japan for Red Cross, for acting and dance, and I was there on a student exchange programme for a month. I used to get scholarship, too. Since I was a good student, everyone thought all the dancing, acting, and drama was just by the way!" shared the actress.

Divya recalls how the influence of cinema became stronger as she grew up. "I was a movie buff as I was growing up. I would not only watch films but also read up all the film magazines. One afternoon, I filled up a form for a talent hunt show that appeared in a magazine. I got selected, so I had to tell my mother, my brother -- mera chhota sa bhai. I clicked some weird pictures and we sent it. I got selected for the final round and I had to travel to Mumbai. My mother asked, 'tumhe sachh me actor banna hai (do you really want to be an actor)?' because, as I mentioned, I was a student who used to get scolership. I replied that I wanted to try to find that. My mother stood by me and said, 'even if you fail, it is ok. I am with you, do not be afraid'. I think every girl needs that assurance to fly," replied Divya, who won a National Award for her role in the 2017 release, "Irada".